Strap sealing tool



May 6, 1958 J. J. PACHTER STRAP SEALING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16, 1955 INVENTOR. [JOHN J. PACHTER ATTOPNEV'S May 6, 1958 J. J. PACHTER STRAP SEALING TOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1955 IAVENTOR. JOHN J. PACHTER A TTORNEY May 6, 1958 J. J. PACHTER STRAP SEALING TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 16 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN J PA CHTER ATTORNEY'S United States Patent STRAP SEALING TOOL John J. Pachter, Harvey, 11]., assignor to Acme SteeLCompany, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 16, 1955, Serial No. 488,544

12 Claims. (Cl. 819.1)

This invention relates to improvements in strap sealing tools and its purpose is to provide a novel device for forming interlocking joints between the ends of steel strap or the like employed in reinforcing boxes or packages or in binding together a plurality of boxes or packages to form a load unit in the loading of freight cars and other carriers. The present improvement is one form of the invention which is claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 488,543, filed February 16, 1955.

According to a well known practice, the ends of a metal binding strap are overlapped within a surrounding tubular metal seal and, after the strap has been drawn taut around the object to be reinforced, a sealing tool is operated to deform the seal and the enclosed strap ends to provide an interlocking joint. It sometimes happens that the sealing tool is not fully operated so that an incomplete or defective joint is formed and such a joint often fails with resulting damaging consequences.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved sealing tool comprising improved and simplified means for insuring a complete joint forming operation thereof when this operation has once been initiated. A further object is to provide an improved 'strap sealing tool comprising relativelymovable jaws and a movable actuating member for operating said jaws, in combination with means movable with said member and controlled by adjacent relatively stationary parts for preventing a reverse movement of said member, after a forward joint forming movement thereof has been initiated, until said forward movement has been completed. Other objects relate to various features of construction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

i The nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment is illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one type of joint between overlapping strap ends which may be formed with the use of the sealing tool of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a partial side elevation and partial vertical section through a' sealing tool embodying the present invention, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2 when the jaws of the devicehave been fully opened;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View similar to those of Figs. 2 and 3 illustrating the relativerpositions of the parts when the jaws have been partially closed upon each other;

Fig. 5 shows a top plan view of the tool-illustrated in Fig. 2; and V Fig- 6 shows an end elevation of the sealing tool looking toward theright as viewed'in Fig. 2. p 4 In Fig. 1- of the drawings there is illustrated a type of strap joint which may be employed for uniting overlap ping strap ends with the tool illustrated in Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive. This joint comprises two overlapping strap ends 10a and 10b which are surrounded bye tubulatmetal seal 11. This seal is initially in the form of a straight sleeve having parallel opposite walls and the strap ends are threaded through the seal while it is in that form. After the strap has been drawn taut around the object to be bound, the sealing tool is employed to deform the edges of the seal and the enclosed strap ends, thereby forming the indentations or depressions 12 at opposite edges of the seal, thus causing parts of the seal and the enclosed strap ends to interlock with each other.

The sealing tool comprises a hollow casing 14 having a detachable front cover platelS which is secured to the casing 14 by means of screws 16 and also by means of bolts 17 having nuts 17a on their threaded ends. The casing 14 has forwardly projecting parts 14a and 14b which interlock with notches in the cover plate 15 so that this plate is thereby held against relative vertical movement. The casing 14 also has a rearward extension terminating in a tubular part 14d in which a lever arm or handle 18 is secured by means of a pin 19. The lever arm 18 is adapted to be held in one hand of the operator in moving the tool to and from its operating position with respect to the seal and the strap ends and the parts of the tool are adaped to be operated to form a joint by the manipulation of another lever arm or handle 20 which is secured at its forward end in a yoke 21 pivotally mounted by means of a pin 22 on the upwardly projecting parts 14a of the casing. I

The bolts 17 serve as pivots for the relatively movable dies which are actuated to form the joint between the strap ends. These joint forming parts comprise two relatively movable jaws 23 which are rotatably mounted upon the bolts 17 and each jaw 23 comprises a pair of spaced bending dies 24 having at their lower ends inturned extremities 24a adapted to extend beneath the seal in the process of forming the joint. A deforming die 25 is mounted on each bolt 17 between the two jaws 23 and each die 25 is in the form of a circular member having an annular transversely curved surface 2511 which is adapted to engage the edges of the seal when the jaws are moved toward the closed position shown in Fig. 6', thereby forcing the seal upwardly against the dies 25 and against the lower edges of the casing 14 and the cover plate 15, as well as against the casing portion 14b. The dies 24 and 25 do not in themselves constitute a part of the present invention since they are described and claimed in the copending application of James M. Thornbery and James N. Wognum, Serial No. 480,244, filed January 6, 1955. Each of the dies has an upwardly extending arm 24b and the upper extremities of the arms 24b of each jaw 23 are spaced apart to receive between them one end of a link 26 which is pivotally connected thereto by means of a pin 27. The inner ends of the links 27 are pivotally connected by means of pins 28 to an actuating member 30 which is in the form of a block adapted to slide in a guideway 14 formed in the casing and in a guideway 15, formed in the cover plate. This block is slotted at its upper end 'to receive the lower end of a link 31 to which it is pivotally connected by a pin 32. The upper end of this link extends between the ears 21a of the yoke 21 and is pivotally connected thereto by a pin 33. With this arrangement, the pivotal movement of the lever arm 25) about its pivot 22- is adapted to effect the vertical reciprocation of the operating member or block 30 to effect the opening and closing movements of the jaws 23. When the lever arm 20 is in the extreme upper position shown in Fig. 3 the jaws are fully opened so that they can be caused to embrace a seal and the strap ends which are to be deformed to produce an interlocking joint. When the lever arm 20 is moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 the jaws 23 are fully closed upon each other, as

: shown in Fig. 6, and Fig, 4 the parts are shown in the 3 relative positions which they occupy when the jaws have been partially closed upon each other.

In order to control thejoint forming operation and to prevent the relative separation of the jaws 23 before a joint has been completely formed, the operating block 3t) is provided with a stop pin 35 which is mounted to slide horizontally in bearings which are formed in the walls of the block. The pin has an enlarged portion 35a which is provided with two annular grooves 35b and 350 and the pin also has a reduced portion 35d which terminates in a pointed extremity 35c adapted to project beyond the vertical face of the block 30 as shown in Fig. 2. The pin 35 is adapted to slide endwise in its bearings to either of two positions which are controlled by the engagement with the grooves 35b and 350 of a ball 36 which is mounted in the lower end of a tubular bore 30a, formed in the block, and actuated by a coil spring 37. When the ball 35 engages the groove 3512 the pin 35 is held in the position shown in Fig. 2 with the point 35:? extending beyond the face of the block 30, and when the ball 36 engages the groove 350 the pin is held in a position wherein the enlarged head 35a thereof extends into agroove b formed in the cover plate.

The vertical reciprocation of the operating member 30 is controlled, in cooperation with the pin 35, by anactuating memberdt) which is pivoted'on a pin 41 secured between a pair of ears 14g projecting from the inner wall of the casing 14. A coilspring 42 is mounted on this pin 41 with one end 42a thereof engaging the end of the lever arm 18 and with the other end thereof engaging a surface of the actuating member so that the actuating member is normally forced into engagement with a stop pin 43 extending between the side walls of the casing tension 140. When in this position the tip 40a of the actuating member extends into the path of the pointed extremity 35:: of the stop pin when that pin is in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Assuming that the lever arm 20 is elevated from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 in order to separate the jaws 23 so that they may be caused to embrace a seal, the initial upward movement of the block causes the point 352 of the pin to engage the extremity a of the pivoted actuating member and swing it upwardly away from the stop pin 43 so that the pin 35 thereby travels to the upper position shown in Fig. 3, being held against endwise movement by the ball 36 engaging the groove 35b. After the pin 35 has passed the actuating member 40 during the upward movement of the block, the member 40 snaps back to the normal position shown in Fig. 3. Then, upon the subsequent downward movement of the block 30 to close the jaws upon each other and thereby form a joint, the extremity 35a of the stop pin engages the inclined face 40b of the actuating member which is then held stationary by the pin 4-3 against the pressure of the downwardly moving pin 35. The inclined surface 40b of the actuating member .9 then acts as a cam to force the pin 35 endwise toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, so that the pin then assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 with the enlarged head 35a thereof engaging the groove 15b in the cover plate. With the pin 35 in this position, any attempt to reverse the relative movement of the lever arms 18 and 20 to separate the jaws 23, before they have completed their full closing movement upon the seal, is resisted by the engagement of the head of the pin 35 with the shoulder 150 on the cover plate at the upper end of the groove 15b. It is, therefore, impossible to retract the jaws 23 from the partially formed joint and the operator is required to continue the downward movement of the lever 20 until the jaws23 reach the fully closed positions shown in Fig. 2, thereby complet ing a joint of the form illustrated in Fig. 1. As the jaws and the lever arms approach the final positions shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the head 35a of the pin 35 rides inwardly on an inclined cam surface 15d formed at the lower end of the groove 15b with the result that the pin 35 is restored to the initial position shown in Fig. 2 and the ball 36 again snaps back into engagement with the annular groove 35b. The parts are then in readiness for another operation of the tool which, upon separation of the lever arms 18 and 20, will disengage the jaws 23 from the joint which has been formed in the preceding operation.

Although one form of'the invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various other embodiments which come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: v

1. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of a casing, means including relatively movable jaws pivotally mounted in said casing for engaging said seal and deforming said seal and said strap ends, means including a reciprocating member slidably mounted in said casing for actuating said jaws, a stop pin mounted in said member for movement transversely thereof, said pin having an extremity normally projecting from one side of said memher, a pivotally mounted actuating member having a part lying normally in the path of movement of said extremity of said pin, and resilient means for normally holding said actuating member in said position.

2. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member and movable bodily therewith, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, and an actuating member normally in the path of said pin during said forward stroke to move said pin into position to engage said shoulder.

3. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, and means including a pivoted actuating member occupying normally a position in the path of movement of said pin to engage said pin during movement of said first named member through a forward stroke and move said pin to a position to engage said shoulder on the reverse stroke.

4. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, means in the path of and contacted by said pin during movement of said movable member through a forward stroke for sliding said pin in said member, and means for holding said pin in either a shoulder engaging position or in a retracted position.

5. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, means contacted by' said pin during the movement of said first named member through a forward stroke for moving said pin to a position to engage said shoulder, and means for latching said pin in said position.

6. The combination in a'tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of:

relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means in-' tion to .be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, means including a pivoted actuating memberoccupying normally a position in the path of movement of said pin to engage said pin during movement of said first named member through a forward stroke and move said pin from a retracted to an extended position to engage said shoulder, and means for locking said pin in either of said retracted or extended positions.

7. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of

relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and I said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward andreverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member and movable to either of two positions, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin when in one of said positions to obstruct said reverse stroke, means including a pivoted actuating member occupying normally a position in the path of movement of said pin when in the other of said positions to engage said pin during movement of said first named member through a forward stroke and move said pin to said one position in which it engages said shoulder, and means for restoring said pin to said other of said positions when said forward stroke has been completed.

8. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, means including a pivoted actuating member occupying normally a position in the path of movement of said pin to engage said pin during the movement of said first named member through a forward stroke and move said pin to a position to engage said shoulder, and means contacted by said pin during the movement of said first named member as it reaches the end of said forward stroke for restoring said pin to its original position.

9. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable parts adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends to form an interlocking joint, means including a movable member movable through forward and reverse strokes to actuate said parts, a pin slidably mounted in said member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct said reverse stroke, means including a pivoted actuating member occupying normally a position in the path of movement of said pin to engage said pin during movement of said first named member through a forward stroke and move 10. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint betweena metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of relatively movable jaws and dies adapted to deform said seal and said strap ends, means including a reciprocatig member adapted to effect relative movement of said jaws, a stop pin movably mounted in said reciprocating I member, a shoulder located in a position to be engaged by said pin to obstruct movement of said reciprocating member in one direction and a pivoted member engaged by said pin upon movement of said reciprocating member in the opposite direction for moving said pin to a position to engage said shoulder.

11. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of a casing, means including relatively movable jaws pivotally mounted in said casing for engaging said seal and deforming said seal and said strap ends, means including a reciprocating member slidably mounted in said casing for actuating said jaws, a stop pin mounted in said member for movement transversely thereof, said pin having an extremity normally projecting from one side of said member, a pivotally mounted actuating member having a part lying normally in the path of movement of said extremity of said pin, resilient means for normally holding said actuating member in said position, said actuating member upon movement of said reciprocating member in a direction to close said jaws engaging said extremity and causing the opposite end of said pin to project from the opposite side of said reciprocating member, and a shoulder on said casing engaged by said opposite end of said pin in said last named position to obstruct the movement of said reciprocating member in a direction opposite to said first named direction.

12. The combination in a tool adapted to form a joint between a metal seal and enclosed metal strap ends, of a casing, means including relatively movable jaws pivotally mounted in said casing for engaging said seal and deforming said seal and said strap ends, means including a reciprocating member slidably mounted in said casing for actuatingsaid jaws, a stop pin mounted in said member for movement'transversely thereof, said pin having an extremity normally projecting from one side of said member, a pivotally mounted actuating member having a part lying normally in the path of movement of said extremity of said pin, resilient means for normally holding said actuating member in said position, said actuating member upon movement of said reciprocating member in a direction to close .said jaws engaging said extremity and causing the opposite end of said pin to project from the opposite side of said reciprocating member, a shoulder on said casing engaged by said opposite end of said pin to obstruct the movement of said reciprocating member in a direction opposite to said first named direction, and a cam carried by said casing for engaging said last named end of said pin upon continued movement of said reciproeating member in said first named direction to restore said pin to said first mentioned position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Taylor Feb. 14, 1933 Ott Dec. 18, 1934 

